Witness says Ruto targeted Kikuyus before 2007 poll

November 28, 2014 12:59 pm

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By CAPITAL REPORTER, The 27th witness in the DP’s International Criminal Court (ICC) trial said Ruto told the crowd at Sosiani Centre that Raila Odinga would occupy State House as the president after the polls/fileNAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 28 – Deputy President William Ruto allegedly told a political rally in 2007 that Kikuyus would be taken back to Othaya in pick-ups.

The 27th witness in the DP’s International Criminal Court (ICC) trial said Ruto told the crowd at Sosiani Centre that Raila Odinga would occupy State House as the president after the polls.

“They were saying in a few days to come they will be at State House with our President Raila Odinga and you know all the communities of Kenya support him to State House but only one community is not. Then he said all of them we will put in one pick up and taken to Othaya,” he alleged.

The witness testifying in the case against Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang had earlier told the court that Farouk Kibet who was a councillor at the time was among a crowd of people who poured milk at Brookside in Eldoret searching for ballot papers.

He told the court after the incident, the demonstrators did not find any ballot papers.

According to him, he saw Ruto and former Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgey who were present during the demonstration watching the protestors in silence.

The witness told the court that he saw and heard crowds of people demonstrating and chanting the words bado mapambano (the struggle continues).

He explained that the bado mapambano mantra meant that the fight would continue until the Orange Democratic Movement won the election.

The witness explained to the court that emotions in the Rift Valley Region were already high as early as December 26, 2007.

The witness continued to explain to the court the events that followed the announcement of the 2007 poll results.

Lucio Gracia for the prosecution indicated to the court that the witness is expected to finish giving evidence in-chief on Tuesday morning.

Ruto and Sang’s defence teams will then begin cross examining the witness.

The prosecution requested the court to ask for Ruto’s physical attendance during the testimony of P0658 who it regards as a key witness in the current case.